OBJECTIVEThe platelet membrane glycoprotein (GP) Ia/IIa plays a major part as a primary collagen receptor in platelet function. Previous studies indicated that variations of GPIa/IIa density and function are associated with the 807 C/T polymorphism of GPIa gene in American and Spanish Caucasian populations. This study investigated the correlation between acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and 807 C/T dimorphism of GPIa gene in Chinese of Han ethnicity.

METHODSA case-control study was carried out, including 75 patients with either acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or unstable angina pectoris (UAP), and 65 controls with no history of coronary heart disease, thrombogenic and hemorrhagenic diseases. Genotypes of GPIa were checked by polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP) technique.

RESULTSThe frequencies of both homozygotes and heterozygotes for T807 allele (TT+TC) were significantly higher in patients with AMI than in controls (62.16% vs 33.85%, P<0.01; odds ratio 3.21). The prevalence of (TT+TC) genotypes was also markedly higher in patients with UAP than in controls (65.79% vs 33.85%, P < 0.005; odds ratio 3.76). There was significant difference in the distribution of (TT+TC) genotypes not only between all patients and controls (64.00% vs 33.85%, P<0.005; odds ratio 3.47) but also between the two subgroups aged <60 years (70.00% vs 38.24%, P<0.005; odds ratio 3.77). However, there was no significant difference in the distribution of (TT+TC) genotypes between patients with AMI and with UAP. Platelet GPIa T807 allele remained significantly associated with AMI and UAP by multiple logistic regression (odds ratio 4.94).

CONCLUSIONThis study suggests a strong association between presence of GPIa T807 allele and ACS. T807 allele can be a marker of genetic susceptibility to ACS.